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BR662-SHR Battle Rifle
The BR662-SHR (Scoped Heavy Rifle) Battle Rifle was an Allegiance-built model of the venerable UNSC-designed Battle Rifle series. History Battle Rifle Concept Prior to first contact between the Royal Allegiance and the UNSC, the former had phased out their equivilants of battle rifles, instead making more extensive use of assault rifles, carbines and SAWs. The Allegiance found that most battle happened at distances of under 300 metres, therefore a heavy rifle designed for longer range was less useful. Battle rifles were generally heavier than assault rifles and harder to use due to their size. As a result of this, the Allegiance's last true battle rifle before 2553 was nearly two centuries earlier. Aquirement In spite of this, the Allegiance saw that the UNSC used battle rifles to great effect, not just at long ranges but at medium and sometimes even short ranges too. Instead of funding development for a new weapon, the Allegiance simply gained permission to produce a licence-built, heavily modified battle rifle for their own use. The UNSC was happy to comply, considering the massive regeneration of UNSC territory the Allegiance was helping to make possible. In time, the Allegiance continued to produce such derivative weapons until the BR662 was produced. The weapon was completely flawless in every way, the result of decades of continual refinement. At this point the gun could be improved on no longer. The weapon went into service in 2607, and continued to be used until the early 2800s. This can be compared to fighter piston engines, which reached the peak of their advancement at the end of the Second World War. Replacement and The Swarm War By around 2700, Particle Cannon technology had progressed far enough that prototype energy-based small arms were being trialled. At this stage, the BR662, along with most of the Allegiance's ballistic weapons, began to be replaced by their energy-based counterparts. This was true for the BR662; which was gradually replaced by the BRP32-SHR Battle Rifle between 2719 and 2800. However, the BR662 continued to serve alongside its replacement for much of the Swarm War, even longer on the civillian market. Usage The BR662-SHR was one of the most advanced weapons of its kind when it was introduced in 2607. It was used on an infantry level in conjunction with assault rifles to provide a squad with a variable range capability. It could also be used as a designated marksman rifle, with one soldier using it in lieu of a dedicated sniper weapon. It saw popular use throughout its lifespan, favoured alongside later, Allegiance-designed weapons such as the AR-14 DEW Assault Rifle. Its main advantage over other weapons was its range, accuracy and penetration/damage ability, which was sorely needed in the Allegiance inventory and was not filled by another weapon until the BRP32-SHR Battle Rifle was introduced in 2715. Technical Details Design The BR662-SHR made use of the bullpup configuration, allowing for a smaller weapon for the same overall barrel length because the magazine was further back on the weapon. It was more confortable to grip and stable in user's hands, allowing for a more accurate aim. The weapon was rather heavy even by Theran standards. Technical Details The BR662 was gas-operated with a rotating bolt, meaning it needed to be charged before the first round can be fired. The charging handle was used to chamber the first round, while the following rounds are chambered and fired and the casings ejected using the high pressure gas from the round fired. The handle was located on the left side of the weapon, positioned at the front of the slide during operation and slid back to enable reloading. The magazine was housed in a receiver mounted on the underside of the stock, while the release catch was located on the right side of the weapon. The weapon featured an ejection port for bullet casings on the right side of the weapon, though weapons were available with the port on the other side for left-handed users. Most of the Allegiance's ammunition utilised combustible bullet casings, meaning there was normally no jacket to eject because it had been reacted and contributed to the explosive reaction in the barrel (thus increasing the bullet's speed and therefore its range). The barrel itself was longer than the original BR55HB, meaning the bullet traveled for longer in the barrel, gained more spin from the rifling and as a result was more accurate. The barrel end featured a three-way muzzle brake reducing recoil. The barrel was unable to accommodate a suppressor. The scope of the BR662-SHR was heavily updated internally, but still similar externally. Its magnification was 2x, giving a moderate degree of magnification whilst still retaining usability. It was equipped with a tritium-illuminated function for use in low light conditions such as dawn and dusk. The scope was similar the ACOG-style of the BR55HB's scope. The weapon could be equipped with a side-mounted torch for when additional light was needed, though the gun possessed no ability to mount modifications such as grenade launchers or underbarrel shotguns. Ammunition The weapon used the Allegiance calibre 9.22x55mm HPSDAP (High Penetration Shield Depleting Armour Piercing) round, the size meaning a standard magazine could hold 39 rounds, though magazines were available that extended outside of the gun and allowed for up to 90-round mags. The 9.22mm round was the pinnacle of Allegiance ballistics engineering- this was one of the last ballistic weapons ever produced by the Allegiance. The core of the bullet itself was tungsten carbide, giving it weight and as a result greater kinetic energy when impacting a target. It was surrounded by a titanium carbide penetrator with a depleted uranium tip. The bullet jacket was a polymer which was able to withstand the heat and pressure of being expelled from the barrel at high velocity. The jacket also gathered an electric charge while the bullet was in the air, aiding in shield depletion. The bullet acquired a greater charge and so the shield was depleted further at longer range. This unique ability was, however, near-useless as close range. Category:Weapons Category:Weapons of The Royal Allegiance